Flight restrictions, school shut downs, night curfews, advisory for work from home, restrictions on gatherings and mandatory RT-PCR tests are among the slew of measures announced over the weekend in Delhi, Mumbai and Kolkata. While people are being advised not to panic, experts say the situation is alarming.India, experts say, is following the rest of the world in the transmission of the new variant, Omicron. While official figures put the incidence of Omicron as just 2 percent of the total Omicron cases, it could be because not all labs are equipped to conduct genome sequencing.A NDTV report on Sunday reported that just two labs consulted by the media outlet confirmed the incidence of Omicron as high as 60% among all Covid cases. With the cases spiking, the report warns that Omicron is spreading much faster than the Delta variant during the second wave of the pandemic last year. A round up of reports from India and abroad on Sunday evening: COVID curbs: Bengal shuts schools, colleges; offices allowed with 50% workforceThe West Bengal government brought back stricter COVID-related restrictions amid a steep rise in cases, shutting all educational institutions from Monday and allowing offices to operate with 50 per cent workforce.At a press conference on Sunday, Chief Secretary HK Dwivedi announced that only essential services will be permitted between 10 pm and 5 am in the state.Local trains would be allowed to operate with 50 per cent capacity till 7 pm, while all shopping malls and markets would be allowed to remain open till 10 pm but with half their capacities, he said.Long-distance trains will operate as per their usual schedule. Metro trains in Kolkata will also operate as per their usual timing but with 50 per cent capacity.All tourist attractions, including the zoos, would remain closed. Besides, swimming pools, parlours, spa, wellness centres and gyms were also told to shut down, he added.Flights from Mumbai and New Delhi will ply only twice a week, and no flights from the UK will be allowed for the time being, Dwivedi said.Cinema halls and theatres have been allowed to operate with 50 per cent capacity. Meetings and conferences have been allowed with a maximum of 200 people at a time or 50 per cent capacity of the hall, whichever is lower.Bars and restaurants were allowed to remain open with 50 per cent capacity till 10 pm, while home delivery of food and other essential products was permitted as per usual operational hours.Not more than 50 persons shall be allowed in weddings, and only 20 persons will be allowed during funeral and burial services, the chief secretary said.The state government asked the management of industries, factories, mills, tea gardens and other commercial establishments to ensure strict compliance with the guidelines.West Bengal on Saturday reported 4,512 fresh COVID-19 cases, 1,061 more than the previous day, with Kolkata accounting for 2,398 new cases, as per the state health department.
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